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I am in the process of searching for a website designer and I have been wondering what all do I need to tell the designer for him/her to design me a website. To be honest I don't have a huge understanding of E-commerce websites in general. I plan on using wells fargo, which uses authorize.net. Now do I need to provide the designer with something to help create the shopping cart for the website or is that enough information? Also I have had offers to do the website for $500 and then others for $1000...What really is the difference besides one might add me to a couple more search engines?
Re: Designing first website- what to tell a designer?
I suggest you start visiting as many ecommerce sites as you can, go through the purchase process up to actually buying, and make a list of what you like and would want on your site.
The shopping cart alone costs anywhere from free up to several hundred dollars. So it's impossible for us to compare your $500 and $1,000 quotes without knowing what the quotes included.
Re: Designing first website- what to tell a designer?
Well I have been offered a fully functional e-commerce website which includes a blog. He said for up keep I would have admin controls through a login system that allows me to come in and add new designs, pictures, update news, etc.
Re: Designing first website- what to tell a designer?
What does fully functional mean?
Ability to sell and administer gift certificates?
buyer reviews of products?
Gift Registry?
Multiple images of products?
Real time inventory status on product page?
Product comparisons?
Ability to offer discounts or free shipping based on total purchase?
Automated display of bestsellers?
Related products, up selling and cross selling?
Recommend product to friend feature?
Wishlist?
There is fully functional then there is fully functional.
Re: Designing first website- what to tell a designer?
Lot's of "web designers" are just programmers that know how to make a site and not how to make a site look good. God didn't create all web designers equally so look at all of their past work and see who you like the most.
Being a designer myself it gets annoying to answer emails almost everyday that just simply ask for a quote. What is your business all about? Do you have logos and image files that I can work with or am I starting from scratch? Do you want a blog? Flash animation? How am I supposed to give you a price when I have no idea what you want and how long it will take me.
Also "What really is the difference besides one might add me to a couple more search engines?" You don't have to submit to search engines any more. If you are in a directory or have a link going to your site from anywhere that's already been indexed by google or other search engines your site will be indexed to.
Re: Designing first website- what to tell a designer?
Web designers DO NOT submit you to search engines. You would have to hire an SEO (search engine optimization) person which is an entirely different animal all together.
The difference between $500 and $1000 is that the person who does it for $500 will probably set up the cart for you, use pre made buttons, and graphics. Probably use a template and just set up a more STOCK version of whatever cart they use. For $500 you MIGHT get someone who is just starting out in the web design world.. but its hard to find that person
For $1000 you will get a web designer to DO all the graphics and such themselves, completely customize a layout for you, work in some addons or custom coding to add features to the cart that didnt come with it.. Theres LOADS of things you can do.
It all depends on what you want. I can give you a "fully functional" shopping cart FOR FREE if you really want, but it will look like this: osCommerce Online Demonstration
which is just a stock install of oscommerce
a $1000+ design CAN turn that into something much better.
Last edited by sunnydayz; December 18th, 2008 at 05:57 PM.
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Re: Designing first website- what to tell a designer?
Most experienced designers will have particular design style. I would choose a designer who can create a site with the type of style that appeals to my potential customers. I would spend time looking at many design portfolios to see what might appeal to my customers. I would also want to to be able to make my own changes to product information and SEO elements such as page names, H tags and meta information.
Re: Designing first website- what to tell a designer?
Quote:
Originally Posted by lindsayanng
Web designers DO NOT submit you to search engines. You would have to hire an SEO (search engine optimization) person which is an entirely different animal all together.
The difference between $500 and $1000 is that the person who does it for $500 will probably set up the cart for you, use pre made buttons, and graphics. Probably use a template and just set up a more STOCK version of whatever cart they use. For $500 you MIGHT get someone who is just starting out in the web design world.. but its hard to find that person
For $1000 you will get a web designer to DO all the graphics and such themselves, completely customize a layout for you, work in some addons or custom coding to add features to the cart that didnt come with it.. Theres LOADS of things you can do.
It all depends on what you want. I can give you a "fully functional" shopping cart FOR FREE if you really want, but it will look like this: osCommerce Online Demonstration
which is just a stock install of oscommerce
a $1000+ design CAN turn that into something much better.
These are all assumptions. A designer can charge whatever they want.
Re: Designing first website- what to tell a designer?
yes, you are right, but i was using the price points in which the OP mentions, and what is AVERAGE.. Any type of art cant have a "specific" value on it. its just not possible because there are skill levels and all that stuff.. Not to mention, one site can be as simple or complex as the customer wants..
Re: Designing first website- what to tell a designer?
What are the costs for a decent Web Designer? $XX per hour? More than a plumber?
What time do you think it would take to create, just the unique design for any company? Or do you not mind looking exactly like many others (template)? A good design means the basic color scheme to match past marketing campaigns / efforts and/or create a new professional look for your business. 10-20 hours just to get started?
How about any custom features you'd like? How many more hours?
I personally think for $500 - 1k you will get one hell of a crap system. Zero customization or uniqueness and zero real design unless you are working with a Designer that is totally new and basically looking to give a freebee so they have "something" in their portfolio.
A good designer should also be "up" on SEO, though it is really an art these days as there is so much more to consider than just submissions to search engines. SEO takes both the basic knowledge of current conditions/proper procedures in Design but also the time to submit, study the change in ranking, then the comparative analysis of those other sites that are in front of your clients, and then make the necessary changes to better position your client in front of the competition. Then do this over again in 6 weeks till you position your client as high as possible in the ranking. Of course the competitors, if concerned, will also be studying your submission and then updating their site, but at some point, you will have to leave it to which of the first page listings are clicked over the others to see who really moves to that top position.
Regardless, think what hourly rate any decent business should be making. If you are a retired hobbiest working out in the garage for fun, sure, $10 and hour could be better than picking up cans for recycling, but it won't sustain a real business.
Here's an idea, outsource to India... You can get quotes in the $10 per hour rate but even then they are also "starters" looking to do some jobs so they can get hired by a larger company for more money later. Then consider is someone from another culture shares the same design sense you would like to portray to your prospective customers when they stumble on your site. Good luck.
You might consider that $500-1k price point as a wonderful learning experience. Then later, after you fully understand and appreciate what you "don't" want, you will be in a better position to hire a competent designer/development company to design you a competitive and professional site for your business.
How much do you pay for your brick and mortar location? Do you have a sign out front or just some cardboard and marker placard? Do you believe in making a good first impression? Is there any merit to an efficient experience for your customers? The efficient part is respect for your prospective customers time. Do companies that are successful care about such matters? I would expect the answer tells much as far as what success they will or have achieved.
Last edited by Burndog; December 21st, 2008 at 11:38 AM.
Reason: Minor changes for clarity
Designing first website- what to tell a designer? 
